Smoke and Heat
by FrankieFandom
Summary: One-shot. AU 6.01 It Wasn't Enough. It was a close call for all of them, no one thought they'd all make it out alive.


A Sevasey overhaul of the opening scene and the missing physical recovery that we didn't get to see on the show. This is an AU version of Chicago Fire where Shay never died and Dawson either never existed or is long gone from their lives.  
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Smoke and Heat**

Severide, Capp, Tony and Chief Boden carried an unconscious Casey from the fire and water-wrecked warehouse. Mouch had already been brought out and was now lying in the back of an ambulance thanks to Cruz and Herrmann. Two more paramedics had just pulled up in another rig and were now attending to Herrmann, he was protesting to their help, wanting to go with Mouch. In the distance, more sirens wailed, warning of their impending arrival to help the many victims that were still on site.

One of the paramedics who had been checking Herrmann over now rushed to Casey's side. The four firefighters gently laid his boneless body on the rough ground. She dumped the jump bag by Casey's inert body as Severide began to pull off his turnout gear. She could hear Casey's wheezing breaths. She could already see by the flush of his skin that heat stroke was likely. His skin was moist and hot to the touch, his turnout gear had stopped the moisture from evaporating into the air.

"Severide, are you…" Boden began.

Severide looked up from Casey to his crew. "We're fine, Chief, managed to find shelter," came his quick response.

They both stared down grimly at Casey, who remained unconscious as the paramedic continued to assess his condition. Checking his airway, breathing and heart rate; he was tachycardic. Slipping an oxygen mask over his face and securing it. Trying to rouse him by rubbing his sternum but failing. Inserting an IV cannula, getting his temperature. It was too high even with his clothes stripped off and a cooling blanket placed over his body.

Severide was knelt by Casey's side, assisting the paramedic since they were short of EMT's with the number of victims there were, but it wasn't long until more ambulances arrived. Casey was quickly strapped to a backboard so he could be lifted onto the gurney. He was loaded into the first rig that had arrived and taken straight off to the hospital. Leaving Severide behind. He looked around at the devastation for the first time since they had carried Casey out of the building, Herrmann and Mouch had been taken to the hospital some time ago, his crew were now helping with the few walking wounded who remained. Shay was nowhere to be seen, she must have taken the first load of victims away.

Everyone soon found themselves at the hospital. Most were hanging around the waiting room, all waiting anxiously for news. Boden had gone around checking on his men, pausing outside the trauma bay where they were still working on Casey. There was a nurse by his truck lieutenants side, studying all the monitors and medical equipment. Casey appeared to be unconscious. He was shivering on the gurney as they worked to rapidly reduce his temperature. There was a tube in his nose, an oxygen mask on his face, a catheter and intravenous line. He was naked, only covered in the cooling sheets. They'd almost resorted to giving him an ice bath but it was one of the more dangerous ways of rapidly reducing body temperature. In the end the ice water gastric lavage, ice packs and ice water-soaked sheets had soon brought his temperature down to normal. A doctor walked past Boden, he went up to Casey and injected something into the IV line.

"How is he doing?" Boden questioned, keeping his voice low on the off chance that Casey could actually hear. "Will he be all right?"

"There was a lot of smoke inhalation, there's some swelling in his respiratory tract but lung function is good so far. And he's suffering from heat stroke. No carbon monoxide poisoning luckily. He's responding well to treatment, we're working to stabilise him with fluids at the moment, we've just given him some Ativan to stop the shivering. Once he's stabilised we're going to need to keep a close eye on him for a while. We'll take good care of him." The doctor nodded and smiled before he left to treat other patients.

Boden cast a final compassionate glance at Casey and turned to go back and deliver the news to the waiting 51 family. He passed on all the information he had about Casey, Herrmann and Mouch's condition.

Severide was impatient and couldn't wait any longer so he got to his feet, strode past the chief and along the corridor to where Casey was still in the trauma bay. He went straight to his side, face serious, eyes full of worry. Casey in a hospital bed attached to masses of equipment wasn't something he liked seeing. It brought back way too many bad memories of Casey's traumatic head injury a few years back and right now, he didn't look much better than he had during the weeks that followed his emergency brain surgery, maybe even worse with the small first degree burns on his skin.

Severide turned his head sharply as a male voice spoke behind him. "Sir, you can't be in here." A doctor in scrubs and a white lab coat stood by him. "I'm sorry, you can come back when he's stable."

"He's not stable?"

"He should be all right, but for now…"

Severide didn't hear the rest of the doctor's words, he wasn't really listening any longer. He was too preoccupied with looking at Casey. "Can someone get me when I can come back in? I won't be going anywhere," Severide said.

The doctor nodded at him and he walked from the room, his heart heavy as he trailed back to the waiting room. He plonked down on his chair next to Shay again and she placed a hand on his knee, no word needed. Cindy and Trudy had arrived and were speaking to Boden briefly before being rushed off by staff to their respective husbands. Herrmann was finally stable although Mouch was condition was more problematic but Trudy was allowed to stay with him since she was family.

It was some time before someone finally approached Severide. Most of the others had headed home now they knew Herrmann and Mouch were stable, and that Casey would most likely pull through just fine now.

"Casey's stable now?" Severide asked.

The doctor nodded and smiled. "And he's awake."

Severide muttered his thanks as he strode into Casey's room. He took in Casey's appearance. His eyes were half lidded, his skin was pale, no longer flushed like it had been all those hours ago when he had been carried from the warehouse. There was still evidence of the smoke and fire that had almost claimed his life, soot in his blond hair and around his nose and some cream over the few minor burns on his skin. He was still only covered by the cooling sheets. There were tubes and wires trailing all around him but the NG tube they had used for the lavage had at least been removed.

Casey didn't even make a move to take off the oxygen that mask that was covering his mouth and nose. His eyes flickered as he looked at Severide, not even realising he had been there until he had touched his arm, smiling softly at him. He didn't know how much Casey would remember or how much the doctor would have told him about his condition.

A moment or two later he heard Casey's weak muffled voice, he moved the mask to one side so he could make out what Casey was saying. "Ev… everyone?" he coughed out.

"Everyone's fine," Severide answered him, "And you're gonna be ok too."

Casey was about to say something else when he broke into a coughing fit, bringing up thick black sputum that almost made him gag. Trails of black mucus were now pouring from his nose and his bloodshot eyes ran with tears.

Severide gabbed some tissues from a box by the bed and wiped his face, then he replaced the oxygen mask for him. "Get some rest, I'm not gonna go anywhere."

"Everyone ok?"

Severide hesitated for a second, worrying about oxygen deprivation, but he understood that Casey was probably rationing his words. "Everyone will be fine," Severide reworded his earlier answer. "Mouch had a heart attack but he's doing well now, Herrmann was with him, he's got some first and second degree burns but he'll probably be discharged tomorrow, no one else was hurt."

"That kid…"

"He's been admitted but he's all right. You saved him, just like you managed to save yourself." Severide made no comment about Casey giving up his mask, he'd have done exactly the same thing.

"I thought… I…"

"I know, I know." Severide nodded down at him. He smiled and slipped the oxygen mask back on. "Close your eyes, you need some rest."

Next time when Casey woke up Severide was still in the room, sitting close by. Nausea pulled him from his sleep and he began to feel the full effects of the heat stroke. He felt dizzy as he retched miserably and finally threw up the contents of his stomach into the emesis bowl Severide had grabbed and held in front of him. His head was throbbing madly despite the codeine the nurse had given him earlier, he was lethargic and thankfully he soon drifted back to sleep.

But it was anything but a peaceful sleep. He awoke with a start, his body jerking, startling Severide who was dozing in the chair. He was coughing and struggling to regain control of his breathing but gradually settled again.

"Sorry…" he muttered, realising he had disturbed Severide. He pulled away the mask from his face. "Thirsty…"

"You can't have anything yet, I'm sorry," Severide told him. Feeling guilty because he could tell how sore his throat and lips felt from the way he spoke, but it was for the best for now. "Put this back on," he held up the mask.

Casey shook his head. "How is everyone?" he croaked.

"Still fine."

"What time is it?"

"Almost 8pm."

"Same day?"

Severide nodded.

"I feel like crap."

"You look how you feel."

"Thanks," Casey half laughed, throwing him into another coughing fit. "What's wrong with me?" he managed to gasp out when he finished the worst of the coughing and caught his breath back.

"Smoke inhalation and heat stroke…"

"Heat stroke… the hoses… are you all right?"

"Got a little too hot for comfort," Severide responded lightly, trying not to sound too serious, even though he was sure Casey had just suffered a nightmare.

"Yeah…" he replied quietly.

"They've got a bed for you up on the burns unit, you'll be heading up there soon. You're gonna be all right," Severide reassured him.

"What I said to you…"

"I know." Severide just took his hand. "Now, sleep." He slipped the oxygen mask back over Casey's weary face.

Casey woke the next morning. He'd spent the night alone in the hospital, the visiting policy on the burns unit was strict, he'd been in and out of sleep the whole time, constantly being checked on by the staff, fighting off waves of nausea and the painkillers had seemed to do little for his headache. At least now he was allowed to suck on some ice chips for his sore throat, it would be some time before he could drink, he was still being given an infusion of dextrose in a water solution through the cannula in the top of his hand. When he'd been taken up to the burns unit he'd been fully washed from all the evidence of the fire and was dressed in a gown, which they'd had to change once more during the night. He'd push the standard issue hospital sheet away, he didn't feel hot but he wasn't cold either, he didn't want it over himself.

Much to his annoyance there was a temperature sensitive foley catheter inserted. They had to keep a constant eye on his temperature until it was stabilised and that could take a few days. His core body temperature was no longer dangerous but it wasn't stable and complications could easily arise, and they had to monitor his output to help them treat him appropriately. He was being given a mild dose of steroids to combat the minor swelling and inflammation to his respiratory system. They needed to observe him for at least another thirty-six hours, he was still coughing up black sputum, and they wanted to monitor for any electrolyte abnormalities.

To his surprise Boden was sitting on the chair by his bedside, asking him how he was feeling when his eyes flickered and eventually stayed open. Casey just nodded in response, leaving the oxygen mask in place. He felt too tired and worn out after his long night to move. He watched as Boden stood up, telling Casey he was going to get the nurse. He was grateful, when the nurse arrived back with him she gave him another shot of codeine. His head was pounding fiercely and he felt far too ill to be his usual stoic self now.

Boden spoke to him but he didn't pay him much attention until the pain in his head lessened. He clumsily lifted a hand up and pulled the oxygen mask away. "How is everyone?" he asked hoarsely, not knowing that Boden had only recently told him.

"They're doing well," Boden answered. "Kelly is picking up some things from your house, some clothes and toiletries."

He swallowed, his throat was dry and sore. "Thanks... not leaving today then?"

Boden shook his head.

"Can I see… see Herrmann and Mouch?" he coughed out, he could still taste the soot in his mouth.

"I should think you'll be able to at some point. Is there anything you need or want? Can I call anyone for you?" Boden questioned.

He shook his head a little. "No one."

Boden stood up, he placed a gentle hand on Casey's shoulder. "I'll let you get some rest."

Casey smiled thinly up at him in thanks and then he was left alone. It wasn't long until the nurse came in a checked on him again. He was constantly being checked on, he just wanted some privacy. He turned his back to her as she checked over his monitors and lines. He lay on his side and waited for sleep to claim him. It didn't take long.

When Severide turned up Casey was still lying on his side, sleeping. He didn't disturb him and simply put down the sports bag he'd brought and sat down on the chair.

There was movement on Casey's bed a short while later. "Hey…" Casey had slipped off the oxygen mask and turned over so he was looking at Severide.

"You look better already," Severide told him honestly.

Casey just smiled a little in response.

"Picked up some stuff from your place, just some clothes, didn't know what you'd want."

"Boden said. Thanks."

"Boden's been by?"

He nodded. "Making the rounds I'm sure."

Severide was sure Boden would have stayed with Casey for a while longer than the others, after all they had real family.

"Think I can go see them? Check on them?" Casey asked him after a moment.

"They're doing well, Matt… but I'll go check with the nurse, we'll go see them together."

"Thanks..." he muttered tiredly as Severide left.

It didn't take long for Severide to return, he was pushing a wheelchair and the nurse followed him in. Casey eyed the chair with distaste.

"This is the only way you'll get to check on them," Severide told him before he could protest. He hated to be seen as weak, and not be allowed to walk just proved to Casey that's what they thought he was. He'd already been thinking himself weak for not trying to get out of that room in the warehouse but he hadn't been able to, he'd been trapped, but what if he hadn't tried hard enough, had he just given up? He had given up, and everyone knew it because of the words he'd spoken over the radio for everyone to hear even though they were only for Severide's ears. How could he go back after all of that? He felt ashamed of himself.

He nodded in resignation and made to move off the bed. The nurse and Severide were standing by him as he placed his feet on the ground. He slipped off the side of the bed. Almost immediately his knees gave way. Severide caught him, he remained holding him for a moment before Casey rebalanced, fighting the dizziness. He sat down in the wheelchair and the nurse transferred everything across.

Severide said his thanks to the nurse and wheeled Casey out of the room. They saw Herrmann first since he was on the same ward. He was doing really well, and Severide didn't mention it to Casey again but he was most likely going to be out of there by the end of the day. He'd not suffered nearly as much as Casey with heat stroke because he'd not been in such an enclosed space. Casey had also taken off his mask. He'd given it to the victim in a last-ditch attempt to save the kids. But if he was truly honest with himself he knew he'd also taken it off knowing the smoke inhalation would at least render him unconscious before the fire got to him, not knowing that Boden was going to turn the hoses on at that point. After Herrmann, they went down to the cardiovascular ward and spoke to Mouch and Trudy. Mouch already seemed to be getting better which improved Casey's mood, he was going to have to make some lifestyle changes but everyone was optimistic.

The excursion had exhausted Casey and he'd feared he was going to throw up as they'd sat with Mouch, but Severide must have realised and made an excuse for them to leave. Back in his room Casey got onto the bed with no assistance and soon fell asleep. When he woke later that day Severide was still with him.

"Herrmann's heading home, Cindy just came by and said, I think he'll pop in before he leaves…"

"No… he should just get back to his family," Casey responded. "Think if I ask nicely they'll let me out of here?"

"Earliest they'll let you go is tomorrow morning."

"Yeah..." he sighed.

"You comfortable? Want anything?"

"Kelly, I'm all right. Everyone is, even Mouch," he smiled to himself.

"Yeah," he let out a breath. "We've had close calls before but that…"

Casey just looked at him, eyes meeting.

"I… I thought we weren't gonna find you alive after… I was sure you'd…"

Casey nodded. "Me too. Never had a chance to think about it before… when I hurt my head, I didn't know anything, not until I woke up and realised how lucky was but this…" he swallowed. "Can we just move past it? Not talk about it again? Be fine once I get out of here."

"Matt…"

"And when can I get out of here? What's even wrong with me? I feel fine now…" He was starting to become agitated, moving in the bed a little, wanting to get rid of everything he was attached to.

"You feel all right now because they're giving you fluids, meds and oxygen. You got really bad heat stroke, Matt, they had to…"

"I just wanna get out of here," he said, distressed.

"You're still coughing up black crap and you still need the oxygen, Matt."

"I'm all right, just want to go home…"

"I know, and you will."

Casey took a deep breath, he was letting his emotions get the better of him. Severide watched as his face turned into a mask of passiveness. There went all his chances of talking to him.

Casey was discharged the next day. Mouch was still in the hospital and would be for a few more days at least, but Casey was glad to be getting away from the cold, impersonal sterile walls. Severide had insisted on giving him a ride home. He'd wanted to stay with Casey at least for a few hours but he didn't even get out of the car, he just watched him walk up the steps to his front before turning the engine back on and driving off.

Boden had made it quite clear to Casey that even though he'd been cleared for duty he wasn't to come back to work for a week. He missed out on two shifts, with the aim of making sure his head was going to be in the game when he returned, Casey didn't see why he couldn't just get back to work. Admittedly he did spend the first few days resting, but then he got straight back into the construction job he had on. Fortunately the client had been very understanding that the work was going to be delayed when Casey had called him from the hospital. The time past by quickly, he'd go for a run in the morning, maybe hit the weights at the gym and then do any work he had on. He'd had some phone calls from Severide and the others. Severide had wanted to come over, he suggested going for some drinks or even just staying in and watching a game or movie together but Casey had declined. Severide didn't see him again until he pulled his truck up at the firehouse, they walked into the locker room together without anything more than some small talk.

"Welcome back," Kidd greeted Casey in the locker room. Giving Severide a smile as he walked past them.

"Good to be back," Casey smiled as he opened up his locker. He changed then walked into the common room, meeting the two reliefs that were covering for Herrmann and Mouch. He grabbed himself a mug of coffee before heading to the meeting room for roll call.

Boden welcomed Casey back, and proceeded to tell them all that Mouch had returned home the previous day and was doing very well now. Casey smiled at the good news. His first shift back went by without much event, he caught up on the reports his relief had made whilst he was out and did some inventory on his rig. They had one call out to a stove fire and when it turned 8am he left the firehouse, almost like he was avoiding Severide, he really wasn't doing it intentionally though, he just had nothing to say to the man, or he didn't know what to say to him anymore.

A few days had passed by. Casey walked into Boden's office through the open door. Severide was already standing in front of his desk. He stood next to him, arms behind his back. "Everything all right?" he asked.

"I wanted to be the one to tell you the good news," Boden began. "You were recommended for the medal of valour, I've just been told that you'll be receiving it in a couple of weeks."

Severide was ginning at Casey, saying his congratulations but an uncertain expression remained on Casey's face.

"Who recommended me?" Casey questioned.

"We both did, and a few other officers, it was a while back, and now with your efforts during the South Bishop fire, HQ really pushed for it," Boden told him.

"Right… thank you."

"Matt, you deserve it."

He smiled, and even Severide couldn't tell if it was forced or not. "Thanks."

"Well, that's all."

Casey nodding, said his thanks again and then left.

After a moment Severide spoke. "That reaction wasn't entirely unexpected."

"No," Boden said in agreement. They both knew Casey well.

Severide glanced out the office door then back to Boden. "He was fine on that last call. He knows we're keeping an eye on him though." Severide knew Casey was worried about what everyone was thinking because of the warehouse fire, more specifically about what could have been heard over the radio in what he thought were going to be his last moments on this earth. But no one was judging him, they all understood, and Severide knew Casey would realise that soon. "Think he'll be happier when Herrmann and Mouch are back."

When Severide left the office he went in search for Casey, it wasn't hard to find him. He stepped into Casey's quarters without knocking. He leant back on the door frame, studying Casey's slouched form. It didn't take long for Casey to turn around on his chair.

"You know, some people would consider staring at the back of someone's head creepy," Casey spoke, there was no spite in his tone, and no spark. There was nothing there. His face was a well guarded mask and Severide hated it because he could usually see through it.

"I was thinking," he responded.

Casey urged him on.

"We haven't been out together for a while, you want to grab some beers tomorrow night? We can celebrate."

"Celebrate what?"

Severide didn't reply straight away. "You're getting the medal of valour." Each word was accentuated.

"Right, yeah."

"Fine, we don't have to celebrate, we can have drinks for no reason, just two guys in a bar."

Casey cracked a small smile at that. "Sure."

The next evening they were sitting in bar a together. Casey had said very little except for letting Severide know that Herrmann would be back for their next shift, something Casey was pleased about, having two relief firefighters on his crew seemed to unbalance their dynamic, as good as they were he preferred knowing his men like the back of his hand.

Casey was on his third bottle of beer, Severide on his second when he asked, "Are you sleeping?"

Casey swallowed down the rest of his beer. Placing the empty bottle down on the bar. "I'm sleeping."

"That's good."

He let out a heavy sigh. "I'm not pretending that I don't know why you're doing this. I am fine. I'm just trying to…"

"What? Just trying to…"

"Distance myself from everything."

"That's healthy…"

"Doesn't matter if it is or isn't. Not really. It's for the best." He looked down at the empty beer bottle. "Are we talking or drinking? If we're not getting another drink I'm going home."

Severide was looking at his profile. Casey hadn't shaved, there was stubble on his Irish skin and no evidence that he'd been so close to death only a few weeks ago. He pulled his eyes away from Casey and ordered two more drinks from the barman.

The sun was shining when the medal ceremony took place two weeks later. Casey had been burying himself in his work but he was already acting much more like his usual self and Severide was glad of it. Everyone was dressed in their uniforms. The ceremony was taking place by the steps of the city hall. By the podium was a list of notable achievements Casey had made over the years. Boden was standing there ready for the quick speech he had prepared.

"As I think of the life of Matthew Casey there are certain words that come to mind, honesty, integrity, bravery... sure. But there are other words right there too, like brother, son... and I am lucky enough to call him a friend. Matthew Casey…"

Casey stepped over to Boden, each saluting.

"I proudly bestow this medal of valour upon you, not only because of the bravery you showed at the South Bishop fire, but also because of the valour you show on the streets of Chicago every single day."

Boden stepped back having pinned the award to Casey's dress blues.

After the ceremony Casey's crew each walked up to him, congratulating him, shaking his hand and clapping his back. They all went to Molly's to celebrate afterwards and it was only then that Severide managed to get Casey alone for a short time. They were standing together in a quiet corner of the bar.

"You're a popular man," he commented. "You deserve it."

"Thank you."

Severide smiled at Casey's genuine response. Glad because what Boden had said was true and he truly deserved to be awarded for all of his actions, on duty and off.

They stood together in silence for a short time, before Severide decided he couldn't wait any longer for the conversation he felt they needed to have. "Matt… I know you wish you'd not said what you said, but for what it's worth…"

Casey was shaking his head. "I don't wish I hadn't said it, I just wish no one had heard."

"Hang on," Severide stopped him. "Can I reply to what you said?" Severide took his silence as affirmation. "I care about you too, probably a lot more than I should, and I'm ok with that. Are you?"

"It's like I said; you're more than a friend, more than family. I don't know what but…"

"We can figure it out, or not, it doesn't really matter. I'm just happy with both made it out of that building, 'cause I can't promise that I wouldn't do anything reckless if something happened to you."

 **The End**


End file.
